A Different Kind of Hero
by HanabiHime
Summary: An AU where Bakugou is the one without a Quirk. Fluffy BakuDeku
1. Chapter 1

Izuku beamed at Kacchan as he stated with such resolve that he was going to go to UA. His quirkless friend had never let the lack get in the way of being the best. He studied hard, worked out harder, and pushed himself past his limits, setting new limits and goals constantly. If he could be like Kacchan, then...he'd really be able to be a hero, wouldn't he?

Others laughed….some shouted Kacchan down, and that made Izuku turn toward that corner of the class, frowning….opening his mouth to counter their protests that Katsuki should just give up…

Katsuki frowned "You don't know if you don't try…" He said in soft repressed anger. "I'll be the greatest hero ever…" even as he crossed his arms and sat in his desk. Putting on a slight confidant front...

Izuku shut his mouth, the corners of his lips curving into a soft, proud smile again. That Kacchan...he would never let anyone ruin his confidence…

Later, at lunch, he pulled out his bento, and stood, stepping over to Katsuki's desk, smiling down at him. "Kacchan...How did your mock exam go?"

"Simple, I aced it." He smirked "Easy enough….you?" He moved to make room for his super powered friend…"Though...Oi, Deku...shouldn't you eat with Murasaki? She's making those cute eyes at you again…"

He flushed a bit, moving to turn the desk in front of Katsuki around, sitting and setting his bento down. "I heard that Murasaki-chan is dating a high school boy already, though…" He gave a thin, brave smile, unwrapping his lunch. "It's okay. It would be hard to date her if I get into UA, since she wants to go somewhere else…That's….if I can get in, of course. I only got a 79 on my mock exam...Could Kacchan help me study some?"

He raised an eyebrow at that…"You? You did a 79? Were you asleep?" He moved to gentle knuckle Izuku's head. "Of course you can study with me...but you gotta get the facts stuck in your head!" Gentle grind grind...

He blushed a little darker, looking away sheepishly. "I...may have stayed up all night watching subs from the American Hero League…."

"So you were slacking and you admit it?" He raised an eyebrow. "Sleep well, good breakfast and you'll ace it...I'm positive...do you still need help on the test past that?"

"Studying wouldn't hurt, would it? And there's still the practical, too. Kacchan is way stronger than I am. Maybe we could, ah….exercise together?" More like, get his ass kicked in to shape. He heard that people hated their trainers, but he could never hate Kacchan….and he'd seen the blond boy without his shirt on….if anyone could train his skinny self, it would be someone who'd already had such success…

He shrugged "Sure...but you're going to have to listen to me if you really want to put on the muscle mass to not get your ass kicked…" He then smirked faintly "Like for real, you'll have to push like All Might himself came down and told you you needed to train."

"Mm! Mm!" he nodded vigorously. "I'll do whatever Kacchan says!"

He sighed "Sometimes that is what I'm afraid of….Think with your own head sometimes too, Deku. You're smart."

"But...Kacchan is smarter. Kacchan is always number one in the class...And he's brave, and strong, and...Just like a real hero already…" he beamed, and ate a bite of rice. "Kacchan is the best. If Kacchan trains me, then we can get into UA together!"

"Well, we will see, Deku will at least get in I'm sure with your awesome quirk." He smiled faintly, tinged with only a little sadness.

"Kacchan will get in, too," he said softly, his bright smile fading, replaced with a sweet, earnest look of worry, and he reached forward with his left hand to set it on Katsuki's wrist. "I believe in Kacchan."

"You are too earnest for this world," he snorted but he was able to smile for real at that.

"When do we start the new training?" Izuku asked as he took his hand back, and took another bite of his food, looking up at Katsuki with his bright smile renewed.

"This weekend if you're ready to commit, we only have three months, right?" He snorted "I need to kick your ass into shape." He poked Deku's nose.

"Mm! Saturday after classes, then?"

"Sounds like a plan…"

That plan, though, was interrupted….That day after school, Kacchan was walking home and happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and was caught by a villain, one that was made of sludge and wrapped around him, cutting off his air. It felt like he was going to die, but just in time, he was saved...by All Might himself!

He gasped for air like it was...air of course...as he panted hard...but tried to...reach out….Towards his goal...Even light headed...There he was...wasn't he? Shining in the sun…?

"Don't worry, young man!" All Might's bombastic voice echoed through the impending darkness that surrounded his vision and muffled everything. "I...AM HERE!"

And it was a blur, but somehow, the greatest of all heroes managed to pull the sludge monster away from Katsuki and bottle him neatly into two soda bottles, leaving Katsuki gasping in a heap on the ground.

"There. Nothing to fear, young man!"

"Wait...you...just...stay right there…" He pulled himself up...and moved to stand..forcing his knees to work. "I...wasn't scared…" He moved to stumble over to All might...and then...grabbed the big man…"I...need something...from you…"

The hero gently patted him to a standing-by-himself position. "You'll be alright, young man! Now, I must be off...I must take this villain to the authorities!" He slid the bottles into the side pockets of his cargo pants, and turned to leap away, in the fashion that he usually did.

He held on onto All Might's leg...gritting his teeth at the air pressure "Wait….one….second….dammit...God dammit!"

And through the air they flew! Until All Might noticed the boy hanging onto his leg….and had to land on a roof, in a touch of a panic, knowing his time limit was almost up.

"Young man! That was dangerous!" he chided, praying he could hold out for just…just a bit more…

"I….need...an autograph…" He managed out. "My friend...is your biggest….fan…" He wheezed...trying to get oxygen back into his body...

He was about to admonish the young blond chap, but...sighed softly and moved to pull a pen out, smiling broadly. "Of course…I have to be off soon, though, young man! This criminal will not turn himself in to the police!"

He panted hard…"Fine… He wants..to go to your alma mater too...and so do I...but I probably won't be getting in...but whatever…"

He moved to sign the kid's notebook, smiling still. "Why, young man! You shouldn't think so lowly of yourself!"

"...I don't have a quirk, so my plan is to see if I can ever make it into the practical testing...Maybe break some precedents before they kick me out….Maybe make that idiot smile." He sighed "After that..I guess I can keep practicing for SWAT….because no matter how much I try...A super powered world doesn't need normal powered heroes, you're proof of that.." He smiled….but it was sad...

Well, damn. He really was out of time, wasn't he? Smoke sizzled off him, and Katsuki's hero was suddenly a scrawny beanpole in front of him, exhausted from all the exertion...He dropped his smile, and clapped a lanky hand on Katsuki's shoulder. "That...maybe for the best, young man….A hero must always put his life on the line...even if it means the end of him, eventually. Without a Quirk...The danger may be too great for you. Even I have succumbed to the end…" His hand left Katsuki's shoulder, and lifted up his shirt to show the scar on his stomach. "I'll stretch as much time out of it as I can, but this...was my finishing blow. Five years ago. Dreams...are good things to hold onto, but...they should be realistic." He huffed softly, tugging his shirt back down.

"A policeman...that would be a realistic kind of hero...something that not even we Heros are allowed to do…"

He patted Katsuki's shoulder again and walked past him, headed inside the roof access door and down the stairs. Poor kid.

He gripped the notebook tight...It hurt. And searing tears patted down from his eyes. He knew the truth...and still..with All Might like that..wasn't that just the proof that being a Pro Hero was dangerous?

What could he do? Nothing…He was likely dragging Deku down with his own floundering. Was he really that selfish… but it hurt….hurts so bad…. "GRRRNYAAAAAAARGH!" He shouted at the heavens...

Shouting out his own weakness...like yelling could help….Even he flinched as a fire burst out several blocks away…

His feet would carry him toward the commotion, despite himself...and there he would see the sludge monster from before...pro heroes around, but unable to actually help because of the dangerousness of the fire quirk the sludge monster was now controlling...A green-haired head just peeking out of the glop that was the monster's face…

"...What the hell… They have a fire fighter style quirk there...though it looks like he's dealing with the fires… He blinked as the crowd talked on…Two minutes...five minutes...even with his struggles it had felt like he was dying..but that kid was still fighting?

Good job...but All Might couldn't do it anymore right? Good luck…

The curly hair burst free long enough to fire out a blast and breathe before the slime monster tried to fill...Deku's lungs….

He was running...Straight for the fight...

Izuku saw him...running toward him, and his eyes widened, looking like he was begging his friend for help...he still couldn't breathe!

He snarled as he flung his bag at the thing...and slammed it into the only vulnerable spot it seemed to have: its eyes...and then he leapt atop it…

And moved to pull at the thing trying to fill Deku's throat "Stupid idiotic slime monster! You're not...getting him!"

And he was grabbed about the face for the second time that day….but he didn't even really have time to fear before All Might was there again, Smashing the villain so hard that he changed the very weather in the immediate area…leaving Izuku gasping...but grasping at Katsuki's pant leg.

"Haah...haaah…" Was what all that Kacchan could do..but...He moved to grab a certain notebook...even as the rain fell...He protected it with his body...

He would get chastised..severely...while Izuku got praised and asked to be a side kick with his incredible quirk… but at the end...Katsuki walked over to Deku…"There...you idiot nerd...you can die happy now…" He handed over the notebook turned to the autograph. "But don't you dare die now…"

"Kacchan…" Izuku breathed, his eyes filling with tears as he looked at the notebook, then back up to the other boy. "Ka...cchan...saved me…"

"Baaaka...All Might saved you...I was just a nuisance…" He sighed…"Don't go thinking I did anything but earned my getting yelled at…"

Well, Izuku didn't yell at him...instead, he invaded Katsuki's personal space, hugging him and pressing his tearful face to the stronger boy's chest. "Kacchan...is the best friend ever! Kacchan...is going to be the best hero!"

"All Might himself told me my plan was stupid…" He snorted and rubbed Deku's head… "I can just be a police officer...but don't worry….I'll still go to the Testing at UA...maybe I can make you look good, Deku….and I sure as hell can still train you…"

For once….Izuku couldn't agree with his idol. He pulled back, smiling tearfully up at his friend. "Kacchan….really is the best…" He hooked arms with his friend, and walked home with him...thanking him almost the whole way, until Katsuki got him safely into his house before heading home himself….only to be stopped by All Might in the golden rays of sunset.

"Young man! You...your bravery made me realize...I was being a hypocrite...I was wrong. You CAN be a Hero!"

"...Now you're just placating me...I know already...I can be a police officer...It's fine…" He moved to walk past the suddenly skinny man. "Don't worry..I'll keep your secret too…"

"I mean it, young man...You unthinkingly risked your life to save your friend...Because it was the right thing to do. More than a Quirk, that is what makes a true Hero….And...there's a way that even someone without a Quirk can get one...I can give you mine."

He frowned still...and looked at him like he was pulling his leg…"There is no record of any Quirk working like that….You're...just trying too hard. I'm serious All Might. It's fine...I'll be there to cheer Deku on…"

"If you do not want it, young man, then….I suppose I will have to find another successor...A shame...because you really do have what it takes…"

He grit his teeth… "OF COURSE I WANT IT! But it's a dream! You told me to be realistic!" He turned and glowered at the older man.

"What is your name, young man?"

"Bakugou...Katsuki…"

"Young Bakugou...Even dreams as lofty as yours can come true! I am not lying to you when I tell you I will give you my Quirk...You will be my successor. You will be a true Hero!"

"...Then how do we do this,..if you aren't lying?" He rubbed at his eyes, to rub away the tears.

"First...I must assure that your body can handle the force of my quirk. Meet me at the beach first thing in the morning, Young Bakugou, and I will assess your form, and we will go from there."

"...Fine...At sunrise then…" He frowned...still not sure it wasn't a scam.

And then...he would find himself at the dirty as fuck beach, where….reality of realities, All Might was actually there waiting for him….And instructed him to begin to clean the beach, explaining that he had to be certain that Bakugou's body was strong enough to hold the force of his Quirk, One for All...without ripping him apart from the inside. And that the simple public service of cleaning the beach was the basis of what a being a Hero was about.

"Is that it…? Fine...when do you want it done by? In a week...or two?" He moved to take off his t-shirt….and then started to get to work...

The tall hero blinked….watching the junior highschooler get to work like it wasn't a thing...his body already well-sculpted and in peak condition.

"The sooner you can do it, the better...I will judge your progress and see how much further you will need to train…"

He huffed but moved to get things cleaned up and off the beach…"Urgh...dammit, move!"

One month later, All Might arrived to a clean beach...marvelling….He had assumed it would take the boy at least three months….For him to have done it in only one...was amazing.

And so he stood in the warming rays of dawn, and plucked a hair from his head, explaining how One For All worked and was transferred...telling the younger blond to eat his hair…

"...What…?"

"You must ingest my DNA to receive my quirk, Young Bakugou."

"...You sure you're not shitting me?...I mean this was great...all around training...even as I also trained my friend Deku..but…"

"You have my word, Young Bakugou."

He gulped but then moved to take the hair….and frowned but...he moved to munch on it….This...just seemed so dumb…

And he felt….nothing.

"It should take some time to digest...and I would be careful about attempting to unleash One For All's power without some mental preparation…but it is done. You are my successor, Young Bakugou."

"...I don't feel anything at all...but if you say so…" He looked up at All might…"What feeling should I go with…?"

So, he walked in with Deku on the Day of….and smiled a bit as Deku earlier had shown him the fruits of their labor. "You've been keeping up with your meals right? Sorry again if it's been making you feel sick eating that much protein…"

"No, I feel...better! Definitely stronger! Kacchan is the best trainer!" Izuku, Katsuki's personal cheerleader.

"I'm excited...maybe Kacchan and I can work together!"

He smiled "Maybe...I guess I can stand being Deku's sidekick…" He moved to rub Izuku's head. "You actually slept though, right? Didn't get too excited like a little kid again…?"

Izuku flushed lightly, as much from the admonishment as the gentle hand from his second most idolized person in the world gave him affection. If Kacchan didn't get in...he would definitely cry…

He walked with him...and they both got through the written tests….and He blinked at Present Mic's appearance…"Oi..isn't that the guy you…?"

Izuku fanboyed over Present Mic, but became slightly dejected when it became clear that he and Bakugou would be in different testing areas…

"Oi, cool it, of course they wouldn't let classmates team up...They wouldn't let such obvious cheating happen…"

"Ah, of course...Kacchan is right….I was just hoping…"

And then he was called out bully a blue-haired boy, and almost died of embarrassment.

The time came for the test itself, and Bakugou found himself next to a girl with short-cropped brown hair, who smiled brightly up at him as she stretched. "Good luck!"

"Yeah…" He blinked…Odd..she was kinda cute...and...kinda normal looking, but the test was starting. Even if cute girls were there…

All Might told him the effects would be surprising...so...He had to clench his buttocks...and yell smash...He said it internally..and...tested his quirk...on his index finger.

That...earned him maybe 15 points….

OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

"What….the hell is with this...stupid…" He grit his teeth...It felt like his finger was trying to rip itself apart from the energy inside it...Like he had jammed it into a car door three times...and looked bruised all over. "Can't...use this too much…" He ran forward...to grab a piece of a Robot...and moved to use it as a weapon instead. Confusing the other contestants...and the judges/teachers likely...

Indeed, there was more than a little confusion...as he bashed his way through, although the students who actively used their quirks seemed to get more of the enemies before he could….and then, time was almost up, when a huge enemy appeared...and that girl from before was caught in its gaze!

"You…" He froze...and everyone was running away from it naturally...but...He grit his teeth...She was...stuck from of the things debris pile.

He did it again.

Unthinkingly he ran forward...and then...Leapt, using the power….Right up into the massive thing's face...and clenched his fist…and instead of saying Smash...the first words that came to his mind were "SHINEI!(DIE)" as he slammed his fist and...rocketed the massive robot back and away from the cute girl…

And it felt like he had done the same bruised all over damage to his arm...and one of his legs. And He was falling…"Ah….oh shit….crap…"

That pretty girl he had saved leaped up, straining to touch him before he could hit the ground...and his fall was slowed to nothing as she gently settled him on the ground and released her power. "Oh, my! Are you alright, spikey-haired boy?! I've...I've never seen anything like that…"

"I'm….Not okay…but I have to...be" He forced himself to stand...and...of all things.

He smiled.

"Because...that is what...a hero does.." He then moved to topple over again...The shock was too much...

She caught him with a little cry...already nauseated, but...she used her Quirk, lightening him to the point where she could carry him, swallowing down the bile that rose as her backlash took effect.

"Don't...don't worry, Spikey Hair...I'll...get you help…"

He woke up in the infirmary… in less pain than before but still...his body protested him moving at all! "What. The. Hell."

"Kacchan!" his green-haired friend had been worried after his own test ended, and refused to leave until he had found out what had happened to Bakugou...and the. Had refused to leave his side. His eyes were red-rimmed, but a look of relief washed over him as Katsuki came to wakefulness and spoke.

"I'm okay...though I hurt…" He moved to rub Izuku's head."I promise you...but I'm...so tired…"

That touch warmed Izuku's heart, and he smiled softly, even through his worry.

"I'll stay with Kacchan as he rests, then...I already texted your parents…" He reached up, when Katsuki's hand left his own head, to gently and lovingly rub the red-eyed boy's hair in return.

"I'm so proud of Kacchan…"

"Why...I only managed to get a few of them…" He frowned

"Because I know that Kacchan did his best," he replied, and gently tugged the blanket up to Katsuki's chin, tucking him in.

"I'll be here when Kacchan wakes up, I promise."

"Idiot...You should go home and tell your mom how you kicked ass…" He frowned a lot down at Deku "You need to let her know...alright?

"I can tell her later. She'd be mad at me if I left Kacchan all alone," he said gently, with a smile, and settled back into his chair. "Kacchan is more important than a test…And anyway, we won't get the results for a while…"

His hand gently gripped Katsuki's through the barrier of the infirmary blanket.

He rolled his eyes "Guess I need to get better to get you to go home then, huh?" And moved to close his eyes to rest.

He bit his lip to hide his smile at that. Tired Kacchan was so adorable.

True to his word, Izuku was there when Katsuki woke up again...his head pillows on his arms on the side of Katsuki's infirmary cot, soft breathing making his back and shoulders rise and fall gently.

That got Katsuki to wince, and he got up...to heft his idiot friend into the nearby bunk… Tucking his tired butt in to sleep properly instead of drooling on his bed.

"Kacchan…" Izuku breathed softly against Katsuki's shoulder as he was lifted, heavier than he once was due to the training they'd done, but still well within Katsuki's comfortable weight range.

He stirred as the blond tucked him into bed, dark brows furrowing a bit as he blinked his eyes open blearily. "Mmm? Kacchan?"

"You can sleep in a bed, idiot...I'm within arm's reach." He rolled his eyes...and moved to limp back into his bed to sleep...

Izuku watched him go, quietly, pulling the covers up to cover his mouth to hide his expression. His emotions, even half asleep, were in a tumult. On one hand, his heart swelled that Katsuki, even still exhausted as he was, had worried for him and gotten him to a cot as well; on the other hand, though, Katsuki was now farther away, out of arms reach...and Izuku had no logical argument for why he needed to be closer. He couldn't just say that he wanted it…

He sighed softly, turning onto his side to look toward Katsuki's cot in the dim lighting of the infirmary-as dark as it was ever going to get in the faux hospital room-and staring at his best friend's chiseled shoulder where it was bared to the air. That black tank top was….his favorite thing for Katsuki to wear, for so many reasons…

They would get discharged in the morning, Katsuki was sure of it. No way they could be kept overnight, right? At least they might get in trouble with Izuku if they tried to toss him out….Yup, he needed to get back to 100%, quick...

In the morning they were, indeed, ushered out, but Recovery Girl pulled Katsuki aside and had a brief conversation with him to explain the aftereffects of his quirk, admonishing him for such extensive usage and cautioning him against hurting himself so badly in the future.

The bright sunlight streamed down on them as they walked toward their home neighborhood, but it wasn't as bright as Izuku's smile as he regarded his friend.

"I heard that Kacchan took out the big enemy at the end of the test…"

"Yeah...that was dumb...I hardly got any points..and then I decided to do that…" He looked down...

"But...Kacchan is really cool...maybe the big enemy was worth a secret million points, and Kacchan will be at the top of the testing, just like always!"

He looked at Izuku with a faint smile "So..how many did you get ?"

"I think I got around 32 points, if I counted correctly?" he said sheepishly, reaching up to scratch his cheek. "I hope it's enough…"

"I'm sure you got far more than that…" He snorted and moved to rub Deku's head. "You also got distracted helping people too, didn't you?"

He lived for that head rub, honestly...the sweet smile he gave to Katsuki was a touch bashful, and his gaze was averted.

"...Maybe...I know Kacchan said to focus, but…"

"Baaaakaaaa, you're the one who needs points more than anything!" He moved to put Deku in a headlock and "You. idiot...don't think you can get off by being adorable all the time!" He rubbed his head, admonishingly. Still not enough to really hurt.

Ba-bump….Kacchan thought he was adorable? That only made him smile more, bearing with the noogie...again, it was affection from his most important person, and...it didn't hurt.

"Ah! H-hopefully I still got enough points to get in!? And Kacchan helped with the written, so I'm sure I scored high on that!"

He sighed heavily. " I hope so...I think I got...maybe eighteen? That is all I could do with everyone's flashy quirks drawing all the rest over…" He shook his head.

"I'm sure you'll pass, maybe not into All Might's own Class...but...whatever, Hero Course is Hero course...right?" He smiled and let Deku up. Stopping the constant contact.

He smiled up at Katsuki, the sun in his sky. "I still think that Kacchan is going to get a secret million points for being the COOLEST hero. Nobody else took down the big enemy at the end, in any of the testing areas!" Granted, it had been explained to them that that one was worth zero points, but...entertaining the possibility that Katsuki wouldn't get in was the most heartbreaking thought that Izuku could think of. So he didn't.

He snorted softly but smiled "Yeah yeah..sure...I'm positive you got First place though...somehow. You weasel your way in by being cute all the time, curly head."

His heart thumped hard in his chest, and he blushed lightly, but smiled so brightly for his Kacchan. "If Kacchan thinks so, then I have to believe it…"

He nodded "Lets get something spicy to celebrate...or do you just want another pork bowl?" He eyed him curiously...

His smile turned a little thin with suppressed fear behind his bravery. "I'll...be happy with whatever Kacchan wants to eat!" Even if it would blow his head off, seeing that satisfied look on Katsuki's face was worth it. And he could just have some milk when he got home….if he survived that long.

He snorted but smiled "Fine, Katsudon it is, Prisoner… You get to follow up on questioning though." He grinned jokingly. "See anyone that caught your eye while testing? Anyone cute?"

Someone had caught his eye long ago, and was now the only person that Izuku saw, but he couldn't admit that...not to Kacchan. So he looked away, shrugging. "I mean, there were a lot of people….Did...Kacchan see anyone cute?" he asked, peeking back at him...hoping the answer was no.

He shrugged, "There was one girl who stopped me from turning into road pizza...but peh, you have a better chance of talking to her than I do, Hero…" He smiled still. "She was kind of cute, but I think you have anyone beat on a cute factor, you overachiever." he moved to grab Izuku's cheeks and stretched them some. Walking with him to the fire breather's fave local restaurant.

His heart constricted...then swelled, his cheeks flushing as Katsuki touched him...even if he was pinching is face, it was still a touch, and it made his heart do gymnastics in his chest. That Kacchan chose Katsudon over spicy food was just another reason to adore him...making sacrifices for his sake…

He lead them in...and they had a normal meal together… Though Izuku was smiling like the idiot he was...Siiiigh…

"...I...got what?" He was shocked at that "I mean...I shouldn't have...

His phone rang. With Izuku's ring.

He blinked but moved to answer it..still in an odd daze…"Moshi mosh…?"

"I knew it! I knew Kacchan would be the best Hero! Kacchan got first place!" Izuku's excited voice gushed on the other end of the line.

"But...Izuku..I shouldn't be higher than…" He was still flabbergasted. "I…" He frowned…"Izuku...can I show you what I can do? "

"Of course! I'm excited to see Kacchan's Quirk! I knew it would come! Kacchan must have the best Quirk ever! I bet it was worth all the wait!"

He sighed, "Yeah, except, I think my body isn't ready for it, but I'll take all the help I can get."

"I...can help Kacchan?" a short pause. "I'll do anything I can!"

He snorted at that. "More observations, I need your nerd fan boy brain to help me out." He couldn't help the smile though...

"Kacchan will get every cell!" he chirped. "Where are we meeting?"

"The old park, by the sorta trash beach…" simple enough plan, right? Just trying to learn how is body worked.

"Ok!" his exuberance was almost palpable…And when Katsuki got there, Izuku was already waiting, wearing his sweatpants and tank top, hanging from the top bar of the swingset by his knees...doing upside down crunches. Each time he lowered himself back down, his shirt slipped up to show the abs that Katsuki had helped him sculpt.

He pulled up and bit his lower lip at that distraction! "O-oi overachiever, don't get sick by overwork."

He lowered himself, grinning at Katsuki upside down, and waved before he sat up, grabbing the bar, and lifted himself enough to unhook his legs...uncurling his body with strength and grace given to him by their training, until he was hanging and looking at Katsuki with a right-side-up grin. Then he dropped, landing in a crouch, and looked up at the blond. "So...What is this awesome Quirk we had to wait so long for?"

From some people, that may have come off as teasing, but from his earnest face, it was just 100% heartfelt.

He sighed, "let's go to the beach…" and he walked with grinning like a fool childhood friend. One there he sighed… "okay…" he tried to limber up. "Less power...Less power…" Deku would hear him mutter as he stretched his shoulders and then pointed at the sea in a flicking motion…

And then he released the power in his one finger again, less powerful than during the test...but dammit it made his finger joints howl, his tendons creak and pain diffuse his finger.

As he very briefly parted the sea with wind pressure alone...

Izuku stood there staring, his eyes wide….lips parted. "Su...goi...K-Kacchan...it's...wow! It's like All Might! I told you you'd have the best Quirk ever!" He clenched his fists, his eyes fairly sparkling as he stared at Katsuki...but the look of pain made him blink, and he padded over quickly to look at his injured finger.

It looked bruised all over...and Katsuki was gritting his teeth. "This...Is the only way I can minimize the damage...thus far...So?"

"Kacchan!" Izuku fretted over him...but instead of flailing, he reached down, ripping at his shirt...tearing a long strip of it off to carefully tie Katsuki's injured finger to the next good one.

"So…" he winced but didn't pull away. " Less emotional, more rational, nerd brain."

He moved to rub Deku's head like it was a magic lamp. "What can I do with a quirk that if I use too much, I'm incapacitated… it's like the shittiest reinforcement quirk, right?"

Izuku flushed. "R-right….So...so describe to me how it feels when you use it?"

"...it feels like the power wants to pop out of my skin… it feels good when it is active but then...it just wrecks me after that…" he scowled at his wrapped hand… "Every time I feel I can use it, in like my arm or leg… I can get the power to push there...but it hurts so much afterward after I use it fully…"

"So...is it like...a rushing river? Like wide and with really turbulent water? And even if you narrow the banks, it cuts through the stone and makes a big canyon?"

He frowned in thought like that. "Yeah, that's pretty good...it rushes in and then I feel hollow and hurt...good call."

He cradled Katsuki's hurt hand, ostensibly checking over the bandaging job he had done, the chill of the April air cooling the sweat from his workout, but he ignored the shivers.

"So...you just need to slow the flow, somehow…"

He frowned at that. Trying to think but he moved to unzip his jacket and shoved it into Izuku's arms "You are shivering."

He flushed lightly as Kacchan shoved the jacket at him, but he slipped in on, enveloping himself in the scent of his best friend and most important person...which only made him blush a little darker and look away while he toed at the sand. "Th-thanks...Kacchan is always taking care of me...I'm the luckiest…"

"We take care of each other. That is all" he moved to sit on the concrete steps. "How to calm the flow…"

He followed, moving to sit next to Katsuki, tugging the jacket closed around him...his belly was cold, since he'd ripped his shirt to make those bandages. It had nothing at all to do with the fact that Kacchan's jacket smelled...really good.

"Ah, well...Deeper rivers aren't as turbulent, even if the flow is strong, right?"

"Right...but I think the damage is coming from the flow…" he grumped and looked at Deku… he moved to zip up the jacket. "Do you forget how jackets work? Idiot…"

His cheeks pinked, and he looked away. "Ah, well, um...M-maybe...you need, like...some gates? To slow the flow? Like they do with the, ah...hydroelectric plants?"

"Hm…" he fixed the collar at Deku's neck. "Maybe…" that freckled skin was so cute...He had to make his butt sit back down properly.

And stop thinking about kissing that skin…

Kacchan's fingers brushed against his neck, and his heart did a somersault inside his chest. "Or, um…" Wow...it was hard to think right now. How else might one slow the flow of a torrential river?

"Or?" Was his response, trying to encourage Deku into thinking.

"I...Hmm...Maybe think about it like something else? It's kind of hard to slow a river down…"

He sighed heavily and moved to lean back on the stairs. "Let's keep with water then… what doesn't flow?"

"Um...ice?"

"Hmm… No, it doesn't feel like that." He grumbled. "... Ice expands though, it oes feel expansive...like it's trying to rush out…"

Izuku's dark brows furrowed in thought, and he pointedly looked away from the attractive arch of Katsuki's torso on the stairs and his arms bare in the chilly April air, showing off their well-defined musculature.

"And that's what's hurting Kacchan's body? Not being able to keep it from rushing out?"

He pressed his fingers to his lips, which was a more erotic gesture than he intended. "Yeah…"

The movement drew Izuku's gaze, and his eyes widened at that look on Kacchan's face, with his fingers up against his lips like that, and he had to look away quickly, his blush burning his cheeks as he shifted the way he sat. Suddenly, the thought of pent up liquids rushing out became very...difficult to ponder.

He coughed softly, staring out at the sea. "Do you think...Doing it more….would help?"

"No… I must be doing it wrong. Somehow…" he sighed..

"Kacchan will figure it out. It took me years to figure out how to use my Quirk, really….It's just that mine was really weak when I started..Remember how many times I burned myself? And how many times I almost set the house on fire?" he offered weakly, looking back at Katsuki, gentle worry banishing the erotic thoughts and the blush that went with them.

He sighed heavily."You're right… I just feel… like I'm stumbling along for the first time in a while…" he laughed but it was happy. "You can say I'm dumb…"

He was on his feet suddenly, slamming his hand against the steps beside Katsuki's head, looking down at him with the angriest look the blond had ever seen on his friend's face. "Don't say that, Kacchan! Don't ever say that! Kacchan isn't dumb!"

He was so close, leaning over his friend, glaring straight into his eyes.

He was...Very close… their breath intermingling. "O-okay...I understand…" he gulped softly.

The anger in Izuku's eyes softened, and for a moment, he was just in kissing distance, supporting himself with one arm just over Katsuki. His lips parted, his pink tongue wetting them before he said softly, "Kacchan is the smartest person I know...if Kacchan is dumb...then...there's no hope at all for me."

He snorted at that and moved to knuckle Deku's cheek lightly. "You were carrying all my hopes, baka, don't you dare say that." He smiled honestly.

"You going to get up though?"

He flushed, pushing away to stand up, looking away. "S-sorry...But...It does make me feel good...to have Kacchan depend on me..Kacchan is my...best friend." It would make Katsuki feel awkward to tell him that he was Izuku's most important person, wouldn't it?

He rolled his eyes but moved to sit up. "So, you're telling me that you've felt good for a while..? Divine punishment.." He Swatted Izuku's defenseless bottom lightly.

Izuku squeaked, flushing darkly, and looked up at Katsuki in surprise.

"Well, you can keep feeling good since I'll be leaning on you for how quirks work...Izuku-sensei."

Oh. Oh.

His blush did not fade. No. He would not think terrible thoughts about teaching Kacchan...things.

He coughed, looking away again, and brought his usual smile to his face. "I'll teach Kacchan...everything I know," he said, looking out toward the water, the sunlight glinting off it. It was almost as bright as Katsuki was to his heart.

"So… What now, Sensei...You getting back home now to celebrate?" He moved to dust off his pants… Wincing at the pain in his finger….

He glanced back, catching that wince, and frowned. "We're going to get you some ice to take that swelling down, is what now," he said, and gently took Katsuki's elbow, tugging him up the stairs. "Come on."

He sighed "Hai hai...Doctor Izuku…" (which is still sensei, in japan, heheeh)

He didn't let go of Katsuki until they got to his door, where he let them both in, slipping his shoes off and going to the kitchen to fetch some ice into a tea towel, giving that to Katsuki. "Is Kacchan hungry?"

He sighed and moved to sit down at the table. "I guess...What jobs are you not going to fill now?" He smiled in amusement. "Counsellor, doctor, chef...You will make a great wife someday, Deku" He joked.

He flushed at that, looking down as he futzed with the placement of the ice over Katsuki's injured finger. "I...I guess I just have to find the best husband, then...It...it'll have to be a hero right?" he stammered as he played along with the chiding.

He laughed lightly at that "Well, a hero would at least accept your schedule of 'I couldn't pick up carrots, evil struck'...Like that, right?" He moved to lightly bonk Deku on the head. "You'll be the power behind someone certainly."

He blushed even darker, lowering his head with a soft smile. "Mm...That...would make me happy. To be able to support my Top Hero Husband…" And the top hero would be Kacchan...

He snorted at that "Careful, some lady will snap you up instantly with that attitude. You're too cute for your own good." Of course Deku wouldn't think to be his Wife….sigh...

"I...don't think that will happen, Kacchan…" he said quietly. Was now….a good time to tell him? He drew a strengthening breath and moved to sit across the table, looking at his lifelong friend with a serious expression.

He raised an eyebrow at that "You're joking right? Deku is super cute, with an awesome quirk. I'd be upset if you didn't have one at least admitting their feelings to you by the end of the semester."

He flushed, looking down at the table...setting his hands on it and spreading his fingers. He looked down at his hands so he didn't have to look up at Katsuki. Didn't have to see his face, which would surely be a mask of either disgust or confusion when he said what he was going to say next.

"I...don't like girls, though."

"Eh..?" He blinked several times… as that registered in his brain. A lot of strange idiosyncrasies clicking into place and making a little more sense… "Oh...Shit.." He immediately leaped up and took a breath, likely making his best friend jump...

Izuku closed his eyes, flinching...and his hands curled into little fists on the tabletop. This was where Katsuki told him that he never wanted to talk to him again. That he was gross. That their friendship was over...

"I'm so sorry! I've been pushing girls on Deku for so long!" Katsuki bowed over the table severely.

"E-eh?" the green haired boy blinked, looking up. And blinked again, staring at that spikey blond head. Katsuki...didn't think he was disgusting?

"It...it's okay, Kacchan…" He was a little lightheaded. Had he been holding his breath?

"No, it's not! I've been trying to get Izuku to look at girls and he's likely been like...trying to tell me to stop it all this time in his head...but he was too nice to say it… I'm REALLY SORRY!"

"Kacchan only wanted what he thought was best," he said, giving him a sweet sad smile.

"Well...I'll try to make it up to you somehow?" He looked at Deku, worriedly. Not really understanding how that could be misunderstood...

"Kacchan…" He sighed and stood, stepping over to the blond. Not quite within personal space, but one more step would put him there. "There isn't anything to make up."

He sit his hands on Deku's shoulder… "Okay...well, at least I won't make you feel bad about me talking to you about girls dating you then...I promise."

He smiled again, reveling in the feeling of Katsuki's warm hands on his shoulders, through the cloth of Katsuki's jacket. He was still wrapped in the blond boy's scent...and part of him hoped that he wouldn't ask for it back.

"Kacchan is the best…"

He snorted, "I can only try… " Katsuki shrugged and let Deku go.


	2. Chapter 2

Izuku waited outside for Katsuki on the first day, to take the train with him to UA. He was fairly vibrating with excitement.

Bakugou sighed, but smiled at Deku's excitement. "You be careful not to fall through the floor if you vibrate too much…" he snorted but moved to walk with his friend to the station.

"Isn't it exciting, though?! We're going to UA! It's official! It's our first day! We're wearing the uniforms, Kacchan! This is actually happening!" He was basically bouncing, racing ahead of Bakugou and turning back to look at him with a huge closed-eyed grin.

He had to laugh. "Yeah, Yeah...it's still school though. You crazy fan boy…" his smile was not leaving him though. "Yes, it is actually happening."

He whooped, hopping and turning to race to the turnstile and swipe his card, bouncing on the other side as he waited for Katsuki to catch up, still grinning like a madman.

"You have gone temporarily insane." Her moved to swipe his card and stepped over with him. "Do I need to keep a hand on you?"

That made him flush lightly, but he looked away. He didn't want to make Kacchan feel weird, especially with his admission the other day. "Does Kacchan...think that would help?"

"Maybe…" he moved to set an arm around Deku's shoulder and tugged him close. "Better, Deku?"

Oh. Yes, that helped his vibrating. Also, it made his breath catch and his chest tighten. He looked up at Katsuki, eyes wide and smile still curving his lips, but it was a little stiff with nervousness, now. "Y-yeah...K-Kacchan is...like a steady rock…"

He gently rolled his eyes but smiled still. "All I was good for until recently." He snorted but pulled the slighter boy along toward their train...

For a moment, he could pretend that they were more than friends...that the warm arm around his shoulders was his...more than friend. He couldn't even bring himself to think the word, though, despite their banter about wife and husband...Although Izuku was 100% sure that Kazuki hadn't gotten the hint that he, in fact, was the top Hero that Izuku wanted as his husband…

He sighed softly to himself. "I hope our teacher is chill but normal… I don't need more surprises." He reached up to ruffle Deku's hair.

Izuku's heart flip-flopped, and he smiled up at the blond. "It'll be interesting to see who we get...I wonder if it will be All Might! I heard he's a teacher there this year!"

He snorted but smiled."I doubt that , he'll spread himself around I'm sure…"

"Yeah...Kacchan's probably right," he said, unable to stop smiling. Katsuki's arm was still around him. This was the best day, ever.

He snorted in mild annoyance. "If not him, then who would you prefer, Mr hero knowledge."

"Maybe...Present Mic? Or Vlad King! I know he teaches at UA!"

He hummed at that, unsure but not arguing as they piled into the train. "We'll see, did you get your class assignment? "

"Mm! Class 1-A. Kacchan's in the same class, right?" Oh, gods above, please let Katsuki be in the same class. The thought that he might not be didn't even occur to him until that moment, and a cold pit formed in his stomach.

He nodded, "Stuck in the same class again…" he smiled to take the sting out of it. "You are devastated...obviously…"

He successfully retained the relieved sigh, and gave Katsuki a closed-eyed smile. "What would I do without Kacchan?"

"Maybe bug other people for test answers for once?" He smirked as he finally let his charge go. "Maybe talk to some other people?" He joked. "You seriously could have been more popular, you damn nerd."

He flushed, looking away. "It looks tiring being popular, though…"

"I hope you actually learn to network… seriously." He shook his head and sighed heavily. "You are going to be terrible at selling yourself…"

He flushed a bit, looking down as he joked quietly, "Well, I just have to find a Husband that's good at that kind of stuff, right?" ...like Katsuki.

He snorted at that, "That isn't a husband, that is a publicist!" That earned the damn nerd another noogie.

"Ah! But...can't I just be at the same agency?" he protested with a soft laugh.

He snorted at that. "You need to be more self reliant, Deku. Seriously, What am I going to do with you?" The announcement for there stop came up...

What was Katsuki going to do with him? Marry him, hopefully….in a dream world. Izuku flushed again, looking away. "I...I'll try, Kacchan…"

"Good, about time for that, too" He moved to start the walk with his best friend up towards their new school. "Seriously… why does every school have to be on some damn hill…"

He chuckled, hiding his smile behind a curled hand. Some people thought Kacchan was grumpy, but Izuku saw it as cute...He pouted when things were inconvenient for him, and to the rest of the world I came off as anger….but Izuku knew better.

"Think of it as part of our daily workout!" he chirped, and quickened his pace, giving Katsuki a little something to compete against...it would take his mind off whatever underlying issue was making him pouty.

He rolled his eyes but moved to try and keep up with that idiot's seemingly boundless energy. "What are you looking forward to most?"

"Being in the same class as Kacchan!" he chirped, smiling brightly back at his surely friend.

"Not being surrounded by Pro Heroes as your teachers doing it for you?" He kicked off the ground to kick a rock off the road way. " I think you're just trying to make me feel more important than I am Deku."

Kaktsuki would have to stop, as Izuku slammed his hand against the wall in front of him, cutting off his path...and suddenly very close, glared up at him with that serious face from a few weeks ago.

"Kacchan…" he said, his voice low enough that Katsuki would really have to listen. "That's another thing that I never want to hear from you. Kacchan is...Kacchan has always been...important...and...I'll fight anyone who says otherwise, even if it's Kacchan himself!"

He raised an eyebrow and listened to Deku's tirade. "...You are really an idiot who thinks more of others than himself, you know that?"

He flushed, but he didn't pull back, his hand still flat against the wall as he stared seriously up at Katsuki. "Don't ever say that Kacchan isn't important...I'll fight you….and it's a fight I won't let myself lose…"

"Baka. I'll let you fight me when you can fight for yourself on things. You're no help to others if you don't stick up for yourself...What if the people around who depend on you can keep smiling because you are okay?" He moved to walk around Deku but stopped beside him.

At that, he pulled away from the wall, walking toward the gate again, looking down, wistfully.

"Then...I'll just keep smiling for them," he said softly, all that serious fire burned away to reveal the soft sad look he sometimes got...rarely, in Katsuki's presence...something his mother would recognize more readily than Katsuki would...but the blond boy had seen that achingly sweet sad look on Izuku's face a few times when Izuku had thought no one was watching.

He raised an eyebrow "Someone you looking forward to even more in our class?" He smiled faintly " Damn, Deku, you didn't tell me you had a crush on someone already...Someone you took the test with?"

He flushed darkly, looking away, that sad look completely gone as Katsuki embarrassed him. "I...haaa….well, to be honest...there is...someone that i… really like…" He glanced back toward Katsuki, half hoping that the angrier boy would realize it was him. But that would be too embarrassing, wouldn't it? Katsuki had been accepting of Izuku not liking girls, but...he wouldn't be so accepting of Izuku's feelings for him, the green-eyed boy was sure.

He nodded "Well, point him out to me sometime, Baka Deku….I won't begrudge you time with them you love struck dofus." He smiled as they moved to pass under the gate and towards the school proper… It...hurt a little bit inside to feel that Deku had someone he was interested in...but he couldn't expect anything less, right?

"M-Maybe someday? I'm scared that...he won't like me back…" Izuku admitted quietly, looking up at Katsuki with soft eyes, a sweet vulnerable look.

And then he cried out as his foot caught on...his other foot...and he flailed as he started to fall, face-first toward the flagstones.

He was about to respond to that...when Deku cried out….and suddenly He was catching his idiot childhood friend…"Seriously...How much bad luck do you need to get through in a day before Karma swings the other way, Aho."

He looked up at Katsuki...and that telltale shininess was glinting in his eyes...the unshed tears of a crybaby whose feelings were now hurt. He looked away, feeling guilty for liking the feeling of Katsuki's arms around him, and tried to pull back. "S-sorry...You'd think...that someone who got into UA...would be less clumsy…"

The brown-haired girl from Katsuki's test passed by, then, the natural rosiness of her cheeks a little pinker than he might remember as she hid her smile behind her hand, glancing at the entangled boys as she made her way into the school.

Katsuki siiiiighed and hefted the two of them up. "Nope, still Deku...but you're just not thinking of how you are moving….Honestly…"

He begrudgingly separated himself from the blond, straightening his uniform jacket. "Nobody's ever going to like a klutz like me," he sighed.

He snorted "Certainly not if you keep that damn attitude. No one is going to want to baby you through life, Nerd." He moved to knuckle Deku's cheeks. "You said you wanted to be the wife...not to be Mom'd through romance. Baka Deku"

He flushed slightly, his lips pursing as Katsuki smooshed his cheeks between his knuckles...and he waved Katsuki's hands away. "F-fine...fine….Then tell me...how do I make someone like me?"

"You should start by liking yourself first..or at least parts of yourself." Katsuki frowned down at him in annoyance. He then turned to walk inside.

"But...I do….like parts of myself…" he said softly, looking down as he tagged along beside Bakugou.

"Then act like it…You keep acting like you're going to shrink like someone is going to yell at you...Stop that, square your shoulders..and be heroic...Do you think All Might would act scared?"

He drew a breath for bravery, but it was more shaky than he wanted it to be…

"So...be more manly. Guys like that?"

He considered "Be more brave at least. You start using Ore, and I might start laughing though…." He smirked faintly...

He flushed darker, and squared his shoulders up, standing a little more upright...and walked with more confidence...although, really, he was mostly modeling his walk after Katsuki's own walk.

He took the lead, glancing back at Bakugou with a feigned air of assurance. "Like this?"

"Sure, just make sure to actually feel it" He chuckled…and whapped Deku's shoulders"And stop walking like me, you damn copy cat."

That took the wind out of his sails, and a faint blush returned to his cheeks. There was no way he was going to be able to be so manly. He dropped the act, looking down at the ground with a gentle smile that was more befitting of his face, reminding himself to treasure this time spent with Katsuki...because there would probably be less of it now that they were in high school. Now that they were at UA, and now that Katsuki had the coolest Quirk in the entire history of Quirks. He would be popular, and Izuku couldn't jealously hold tight to all his time…

"What are you smiling about like that?"" He got the door for them both and ushered him in "Lets go."

He didn't even have time to answer. He just looked up at Katsuki with that sweet sad smile...and then turned to step out of one chapter of his life...and into another.


	3. Chapter 3

(Author's note: I know this one's short, but Chapter 4 should also be out later today, hopefully!)

This was the worst...A battery of tests designed to judge not only basic skill...but actual endurance between them… Their Sensei must have really had it out for them, too, talking about expelling the lowest ranked student…

And he could only pick really one thing to be good at right now...Shit...God Dammit! Which one would have the greatest surprise or impact?!

He wasn't doing horribly...but he was at base level for a fit human being. He had to excel somewhere. So this was it: the softball throw… He gripped the special ball tightly..as he moved to step up to the pitch...frowning still…

And when he tried to hurl the ball with all of his power, nothing happened. It flew only a few feet and then bounced.

The tired-eyed teacher was glaring at him, and approached to lean down and fairly hiss at him. "Are you going to break yourself and make someone else save you? What kind of Hero do you think you can be if you always have to rely on others. We don't need one-hit-quits here at this school, brat."

He grit his teeth at that. Hiding the grimace from his teacher...So that wasn't allowed huh? He couldn't just have one crazy good assessment and get a pass...He'd have to endure more pain...even if it would mean probably suffering worse…"Fine…"

He picked up the ball again… Purpose crystallized now...and he moved to use his power again.

He certainly impressed his classmates with his throw, and Aizawa muttered under his breath about brats who were too smart for their own good….Bakugou ended up near the bottom anyway, even with that throw, but Izuku was right beside him. The green-haired boy's Quirk wasn't one for really assisting in many of the physical tests, and so Izuku stood beside Katsuki with lowered eyes and a sad smile, knowing for sure that he'd be expelled and no longer be able to go to school with his most important person.

"And I was just kidding about the expulsion," their teacher deadpanned before walking back toward the school building.

That...got a lot of people to exclaim their shock at that… "Don't let him get to you, Deku…" A comforting hand landed on his curly head as he rubbed it like a faithful shiba inu. "It'll be fine…"

"Mm…" he said, raising his head to look up at his friend...but his smile didn't reach his eyes. His confidence, fragile before this, had taken a huge blow. Everyone else was creative with their Quirk, and had managed to get really awesome results and low times...but nothing Izuku thought of would have helped him lower any of his times, or make him any stronger. There were no hydraulic hoses here to burn up to defeat robots, and glassing the surface of the sand pit wouldn't have helped with any of the jumps…

All he really had left was Katsuki's steadfast belief in him, and he had to wonder when that, too, would waver.

He was thinking, but kept softly rubbing at Deku's head. "Maybe you do want a cape… or something like a glider… you can make the air hot but not burn the fabric right?" He peeked down at Deku. "What's wrong?"

"Mm..nothing…" he said softly, that smile still on his face...but his eyes so impossibly sad. Katsuki had never seen it quite this bad before.

"Don't lie… I deserve better Izuku." His Kacchan glowered down at him. "You are not feeling good about the test, right… we made it."

"Just barely…" He looked down, his voice soft enough that only Katsuki could hear. "Maybe...I don't really belong here. I was last, Kacchan...dead last." No. No. Katsuki had told him he needed to believe in himself. He needed to like himself. Or no one else would ever like him. And besides, it was stupid to look down on himself...after Katsuki had fought for so long to be respected without a Quirk...he would make Kacchan feel bad if he started talking badly about his own Quirk, even if he felt stupid and useless. And making Kacchan feel bad was the last thing he was going to do in life.

Izuku closed his eyes, drawing a shaky breath, and then looked up, determination hardening the eyes that sadness had made so soft. "We'll...just...get better, right?"

That was the look that warmed his heart… "That is all we can do, get better." A last gentle ruffle of Izuku's hair is what he earned for his determination.

They needed to get better… he needed to master his quirk, and he knew that Deku needed to think more… flexibly with his own. This was the best place to get such support though...

"Does Kacchan need to go to the nurse's office?" Izuku asked quietly as the blond stopped petting his head.

"Hmm? Yeah, I got a pass from Tired-sensei…" he raised an eyebrow at Deku's question. "I'm okay, you kinda get used to the pain…"

Izuku frowned. He didn't like the idea of Katsuki in pain…

"Go, Kacchan...before I make everyone think I'm your wife and take you there myself!"

That took him aback slightly, but he moved to start heading if to the nurses office "... Alright, I'm on my way." He sounded amused.

Izuku blushed, turning his back, hiding his embarrassment in his righteous indignation as he walked back to change and head to class...to sit and stare at Katsuki's empty seat.


	4. Chapter 4

(Author's note: As an apology for such a short chapter yesterday, please have more today! I meant to get part of this out yesterday, but the day kind of steamrolled us.)

For their next major school exercise, they got their costumes, and were split into groups. Izuku stepped out to join the others in his green-black bodysuit with the yellow and red accents that were somehow reminiscent of both Endeavor and All Might at the same time, sporting a flame motif. Katsuki appeared in urban camouflage pants and black boots with what looked like to be a fully stocked utility belt, a black tanktop, heavy gloves attached to wrist gauntlets, and a carefully set domino mask underneath he had put black kohl to better hide his eyes from glare.

His shoulders fell a bit as Katsuki was teamed up with the glasses guy, but he looked up with a slightly nervous smile as he was told that his partner partner was that brown haired girl, Uraraka. The one that Katsuki thought was cute.

She was pretty, he supposed, in the way that girls tended to be, but he didn't understand why Kacchan had singled her out to mention her. And then she smiled up at him, and it clicked. It wasn't because she was a cute girl, at all….She was a ray of sunshine given a human form. Of course he would notice her.

And then they were assigned...his Kacchan...was a villain? Well, Kacchan would take the exercise seriously, Izuku knew...he always took tests seriously…

He nodded to Iida, "Well, we will have an uphill battle here… both have rather strong quirks." He moved to pull on shin guards and knee pads...and as he knelt he looked up at the armoured young man.

"I would like to think that our Quirks are well within what is necessary to counter theirs, and though I am loathe to be connected to villainy in any sense. We must respect the spirit of the test!" the blue-haired boy exclaimed as they walked I to the building and headed up to their evil secret lair.

Izuku watched them go, frowning softly. Scenarios played out in his mind, and few of them ended with his team winning.

"So...do you want me to fight your spikey-haired friend, so you don't have to?" the bubbly girl asked, with what looked like real concern on her face.

The image of her plastered against Katsuki reared in the back of his mind, which knew the blond's dirty fighting tactics, and he shook his head vigorously.

"N-no, that's...okay. Kacchan won't go easy on you just because you're a girl, and...I know his moves…" he said, hoping that his voice wasn't too vehement.

"Okay! It'll be a fated battle between men, then!" she chirped, thrusting a fist into the air.

They entered the darkened building, with Izuku frowning softly and taking the lead, his capture tape partially unwound in his hands.

Katsuki moved to stalk the halls, carefully and furtively. Looking for any indication that they would tip their hand as to their position as he cleared and check first the fourth floor and then the third… moving in ways he had read how swat and military teams cleared room by room...though it was him moving alone…

As a Villian he had to assume that the heroes would try and play fair. Meanwhile… he couldn't afford to… he just wished he could have planned to have some form of motion tracker.

He found Izuku walking slowly and carefully around a corner, keeping low and close to the wall, steps just as careful and practiced as Katsuki's. They had trained for long, long hours in all the best spots of their neighborhood, and in the abandoned places they weren't supposed to go but still managed to get into.

It was different-weird-not having Katsuki's command to go off, but he had to make due…due because Katsuki was the one he was hunting….not following.

He hadn't seen the careful blond yet, obviously, where he was pressed against the perpendicular wall around the next corner.

Bakugou froze as he heard the barest whisper of movement...and waited. Like a snake about to strike.

Izuku's heart thumped loudly in his chest, sending blood rushing through his ears, so loud that he was sure Katsuki could hear it...between that and his breath, he knew that he was already a dead man. It was just a matter of time. He crept forward, sticking close to the wall, which would put him in the perfect position for Katsuki's attack.

He lashed out, grabbing Deku by the arm and immediately pulling him off balance as his best friend threw him to the ground. Katsuki moved then to grab Izuku by the jaw and tried to force his mouth to stay closed, or blast him with fire.

Izuku had been counting on just that, and as Katsuki flipped him, he twisted, wrapping the capture tape around the stronger boy's torso, even as he was smashed into the ground, the wind being driven out of him with a little lick of flame that Kacchan's hand promptly smothered.

Before the tape could tighten fully though… Bakugou moved to let go of Izuku's mouth to try and restrain the other boys arm and to twist away from the tape. Not willing to be caught just yet...

Izuku sucked in a breath, audible, and possibly chilling to Katsuki, because he alone in this class really knew what Izuku was capable of with that breath.

That got his eyes to widen… and he moved to shift positions, sharply. From trying to restrain Izuku's arm to pinning the shorter boy. Hands moving to clap over his mouth again.

Kacchan's hands warmed considerably as he straddled Izuku and drove the breath out of him, but with no oxygen, the flame fizzled. Izuku waved his hand frantically, and Uraraka ran by, well out of Bakugou's reach, toward the stairs.

That was not a good thing...he moved touch his radio in his ear. "Iida, Uraraka is a on her way, be advised. I am having...difficulty…" He moved to squirm atop Izuku again but this time he moved to grab the tape his childhood friend had tried to use to secure him… "Like I'm going to let you get any fire out." He frowned as he got the tape off him one handed...

Izuku's hands scrambled with Katsuki, flailing a little as his breath on Katsuki's hand heated...not from his covered mouth, but from his nose, his nostrils flaring. He grabbed at the arm that held him down, one hand on Katsuki's wrist and the other above his elbow, trying to stress the joint enough to pull his hand away, but Kacchan was so incredibly strong….much stronger than he was.

Bakugou had to move quickly then. He moved to release Izuku's mouth briefly to position the tape to wrap it around Deku's jaw and crown. It was a gamble but nothing ventured meant nothing was gained...

Izuku jerked his head to the side immediately when he was released, and Katsuki could feel his friend's chest move underneath him as he exhaled forcefully, light flaring as flames boiled to life from those lips. Roaring and crackling, the fire rose high and wide to form a barrier between them and the rest of the hallway before Katsuki snapped Izuku's jaw shut with an audible click, the capture tape far stronger than it looked.

"Tch" clicked Katsuki's tongue as he realized he was now partially cut off from the rest of the building. But he moved to drag Deku up. "Let me guess, your plan was to just neutralize me…." He moved to grab more tape from Deku;'s belt...

"Ka...chhan… " Izuku's teeth were locked together by the tape, so he had to grind the word out. Of course Katsuki would have ideas about Izuku's plans...but Izuku knew Katsuki, too...and he knew he had to work to surprise him. He grabbed the blond's arm and twisted, shoving his hip against Katsuki's as he bent, to flip the boy in black over him, in a similar fashion to what had been done to him.

"Gah!" They were going to keep tossing each other around then..since Katsuki only changed his grip for more capture tape into hooking his fingers into Izuku's belt..and moved to pull the other young man with him… jockeying for position

Izuku went down with him, grunting, but turned so that the fall would drive his elbow into the other boy's solar plexus...while throwing his other arm out toward the wall of flame, which snaked in a crackling spiral toward them.

That got a grunt of pain from Katsuki and he tried to recapture his own breath as he saw Deku moving to summon a weapon or tool, which Kacchan was sure was going to turn the tide of the battle.

He moved to try and throw Deku off of him, away from the wall of fire...so that he could flee from the fight immediately...

Where that flame was….was where Deku had supremacy in close to mid-range.

Izuku huffed as he hit the floor, and rolled up to his feet, the flame wreathing his still-outstretched arm as he reached up to rip the capture tape off his head, the tight band cutting into his cheek and jaw as he yanked it down off his skull, blood pattering on the floor of the hallway as he stared at Katsuki and drew a shaking breath.

"Even...Kacchan...underestimates me…" he said softly, but...he was smiling. It wasn't the soft, gentle smile that was so at home on his face, but more a confident thing that made him look...well, downright heroic, with half his body all lit up from the bright orange flame that twisted around him like a serpent. Even as Katsuki watched, the size of the flame seemed to shrink, even as it grew brighter, bathing Izuku's face and green hair in a more yellowy light.

He sucked in another deep breath, his eyes trained on Katsuki.

Katsuki didn't know why he paused...when he should have spent the time running away...but those words called to him in a way that made him stop….and he looked back at Deku. "Underestimate you…?"

He could not help the almost feral grin on his face. "Baaaaakaaa… If anyone knows how powerful you are….how your brain can tick. It's me...That's why," He very quickly moved to round the corner.

Right now in this enclosed space, the only real weakness that Izuku had...was range of sight… He could do nothing but run and re-group.

Izuku flung his hand out, the fire curled around him growing even more pale as the heat increased, and the wall itself began to soften, even as he blew out another lungful of orangey-red flame. It might seem a desperate tactic, if one didn't think about the structure of the building. The wall he was burning was an interior one, but there was a good chance that it bore the weight of some portion of the middle of the floors above.

Kacchan took a soft breath to try and prepare himself..especially since the oxygen around Deku was likely lower than normal...and then turned back around...Charging straight for his childhood friend...Red eyes flashing and intent...

That surprised Izuku, throwing him off guard long enough for Katsuki to have a chance…Before he shifted his stance, shoes squeaking on the ground as he curled his fingers, drawing the fire back to him...too late to actually form any sort of weapon or counter Bakugou's charge.

That was exactly what Katsuki expected he might do...and he moved to keep following through on the run...and moved to tackle Izuku again… Moving this time to not cover his mouth, but to just pin him bodily… It was a hunch, a feeling, but he had to take the risk.

His breath was cool on Deku's lips..

Izuku's eyes widened, and he stopped breathing, the light from the flame stuttering and suddenly going from a bright white-yellow light to a red glow that bathed both of them on one side.

"Well, hero...Are you going to do it?" He said…."I'm at your mercy...you can totally burn my head off, can't you?" Katsuki's hands were tight on Deku's wrists...his breath still blessed cool...

His heart thumped as Kacchan breathed those words against his lips...lips so close to his own.

"Kacchan…" His breath was much warmer, and smelled oh-so faintly of sulphur, like a match that had been lit and then blown out.

"Yes…?" He looked straight into those green eyes. Fully conscious—perhaps more than Deku—about the fact that all he needed to do was kill time until the clock ran out. "Why can't you do it Hero? I'm an evil Villian. With a nuclear weapon at my disposal…"

"K-Kacchan...could never be a villain…" he breathed, and reached up with the hand that wasn't lit aflame, gently touching Katsuki's hair. "There's too much good inside…"

Well, he was touched at that, but he needed to keep the green-haired nerd talking. "Really, what would Deku do if the entire world was against me then?" His gaze was unwavering...as he hoped the boy underneath him wouldn't realize he was just stalling for time.

"I'd save Kacchan…" he said, and Katsuki couldn't see his smile, this close, but he could see that it reached his eyes. He was tempted...oh, so tempted, to close the short distance between them and press his lips to Kacchan's….but the whole class was watching, he remembered, and the thought made him flush and look away, averting his gaze from Katsuki's ruby eyes.

"I see….Well, that is comforting…" He had to smile, unable to do anything at that except feel… really good about that. Though, it felt like cheating; he mentally counted down the time in his head. It was almost over for the Hero team.

"I...believe in Kacchan...That's why…" Izuku said softly, flexing his left fingers, and the light brightened a bit as the flames circled them, licking high and eating the oxygen that they were both breathing. If he could just last longer than Katsuki, then he could apprehend him, right?

He clicked his tongue in annoyance…"Tch...you noticed…" He then exhaled fully and took in a huge breath, his red eyes fixed on Izuku's. He wouldn't pass out that easily.

Izuku smiled again, hoping Uraraka was faring well. Secretly, these were minutes that he was going to treasure, with Katsuki so close...even if he was still holding him down, bodily.

He didn't bother to hold his breath, drawing in all of the air he could...helping to deplete the inner ring where they were of oxygen...when Bakugou couldn't hold his breath anymore, there would be nothing left for him to breathe, and he would have to pass out. The only question was if Izuku could hold out that long. Nonetheless, he had taken Katsuki out of the equation for Uraraka.

What Izuku might not count on though...was Bakugou moving to exhale...right...against Izuku's neck… Working like a diver to empty as much bad air out as possible… Trying to wave his control as well…

His lips..touching the other boy's skin...

Oh...That made Izuku shudder. His skin warming in a dark blush, and black spots swam in his vision as Kacchan interrupted his concentration…

There, close to Izuku he felt the cooler air… if the fire wavered...he could breathe more...maybe ven take a true breath...Those lips slid up...to IZuku's ear...tracing a still cool but at the same time...a white...hot line...

A faint whine left Izuku's throat, and the flames flickered, weakening as the pyromancer's concentration failed further.

After fighting for a little more air in his lungs, KAtsuki changed grips. With both hands, he carefully pinched Deku's nose...and clamped his hand over the boy's mouth…"Haaaah…"

That lit a light of panic in Izuku's eyes, the flames guttering and flaring ss as he struggled beneath Katsuki. The trauma of the sludge villain's attack and his brush with death still too fresh in the back of his brain, even almost a year later.

Kacchan froze and immediately let up on our Deku. Panic briefly rooting him as he realized what he had accidentally done. He wanted to apologize and comfort him, but…for this exercise, he was supposed to be a villain, and that stopped him from immediately coming to the aid of his childhood friend. "Sorry, Izuku …" was what he managed before moving to move to the stairs.

The flames were all but gone now, flickering wildly with temperature fluctuations...and Izuku rolled weakly onto his side, blackness fuzzing the edge of his vision, and curled up with a soft whimper, trembling as tears leaked from his open eyes while Katsuki left him there to suffer his ptsd flashback alone.

He froze, turning back to look at Deku. That whimper tearing something in his as he cursed himself and broke into a straight run back to Izukum, to scoop him up into his arms. He could use him as an excuse for a hostage, he rationalized, even as he tucked that crying face against his neck.

The time ran out before he even got back upstairs. Iida had successfully protected the bomb from Uraraka, who seemed less worried about failing the lesson than the crying mess of Midoriya in Bakugou's arms when they got to the hideout floor.

"Is...Is Midoriya-kun alright?" the earnest girl asked, clasping a hand to her chest as she looked to the blond with worry.

"He'll be okay… I've got him."

And he was fine. In a sense. By the time they returned to the classroom, he'd mostly gotten ahold of himself, although he was quiet and withdrawn for the rest of class. When the day was over, he took time packing his things up. He and Katsuki had cleaning duty that day, so it was a good excuse to ignore the after-class chatter. People seemed mostly respectful and willing to give him his space, but how much of it was respect, or them ignoring him, or a feature of just where his desk was in the classroom, Izuku didn't know. He went through the motions until the class was nearly empty, then moved to grab the broom to start on the floors.

Katsuki moved to start stacking chairs on desks… "So, are you truly okay?" He looked over at him sweeping...

"Mmm?" Izuku asked, looking up and back at him, his eyes looking tired and still a little red-rimmed. He had that haunted look back that he'd worn when no one was watching for a couple of weeks after the attack last year.

Katsuki sighed heavily and walked over at set a chair down and then another across from it. He then sat down, heavily and waited. When, Izuku didn't immediately act…

"Sit down…"

Izuku blinked, but his body moved before he could think about it, in reaction to Katsuki's command, and he blinked again at his friend, a little confused by all of this as he sat and set the broom down...it kind of looked like one of those scenes out of a foreign romantic comedy. Don't blush, he told himself!

"You're not okay, I did something bad covering your mouth and nose. We need to talk."

Kacchan was frowning, but it was in concern and in mild anger at himself for hurting his best of friends.

"Please."

Izuku looked down, his shoulders tightening a bit. "It's...it's nothing, Kacchan...I...I overreacted." And cried like a big crybaby. It wasn't even that bad. Why had he panicked like that? Heroes didn't have panic attacks. They didn't have flashbacks, especially of things that hadn't even left scars, did they?

"...I don't think you overreacted. I'm worried about you, Izuku. "

The fire-breather looked down at his palms, noticing that they were shaking, and closed them into loose fists. Of course Kacchan was worried about him. He was a weakling. Katsuki had done everything in his power to help Izuku be stronger, but the green haired boy was still weak, if not in body, then in mind.

"I...don't want Kacchan to worry."

He frowned and then his arms were wrapped around Deku's neck. "It's okay, dammit… you don't have to be scared that I am going to drop you… for being scared. Got it?"

Izuku's breath caught...and he looked up at Katsuki's face through his lashes, his lips trembling as he tried to smile.

"But...Heroes...don't get scared like that…" he whispered shakily.

"I'm sure they do. You're allowed to be scared." He scowled "You're also able to be scared without a good reason too. Phobias are stupid things but they are real, Deku… "

"But...Kacchan…" He sighed, looking down again. "I...I didn't even get hurt." Because Katsuki had been there. Because All Might had been there.

"... Were you choking? Did you think you might die? "He frowned

"B-back then? Yes…" he admitted in a soft, hoarse whisper.

"... I understand that feeling. I had gotten attacked by that villain too… " he admitted quietly " You had to endure it when longer than I did, I am sure…"

"Kacchan….got attacked, too?" Izuku asked, looking up at those red eyes.

He scowled but nodded. "Mm, the villain got free of All Might after it attacked me and then went after you… So, I know that pain. You aren't alone." He then smiled. "Deku is stupid brave… trying to act like it was nothing but you don't have to act that way around me."

"I want to be a person that Deku can say he is scared to and know that he is safe."

Izuku's eyes filled with tears again, and he hung his head, choking on a sob.

"I'm afraid, Kacchan! I...I don't want to die!"

He pulled close Izuku and held him. "It's not bad...to be scared of dying. It just means that you gotta live as hard as you can, Deku… don't worry, I'll be there, no matter what…"

"Kacchan…" Izuku sobbed, clinging to the blond. Kazuki said that, but...would he stay if he knew how Izuku felt about him? Live hard….the advice made the green-haired boy want to confess, but...he was scared...even more than dying. He was afraid of losing Kazuki by his side.

He let the green haired boy cry till his tears ran out, then moved to help Deku up so they could finish cleaning up the classroom. "Seriously, I need you to talk to me, got it?"

"Mm. Kacchan...is the person I trust most in the whole world." Izuku said, his eyes puffy and red rimmed, but his smile reached them this time.


End file.
